Heather Capel

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Heather Capel’s research sits at the intersection of assistive robotics, haptic feedback, and pediatric rehabilitation, with a focus on enabling children with physical impairments to explore their environments through touch. Her work addresses a critical developmental gap: when children cannot perform hand movements for haptic exploration, they miss opportunities to learn about object properties. Capel’s major contributions include developing and testing robotic teleoperation systems that allow users to feel textures, shapes, and weights remotely. In her 2021 study, she demonstrated how a haptic-enabled robot could facilitate object exploration for both adults and children, while her 2018 work specifically examined the differences in performance between user groups. Though her most-cited papers each hold three citations—a modest count reflecting the niche, early-stage nature of her research—their impact lies in laying foundational groundwork for accessible assistive technologies. Capel’s work is notable for its direct application to improving quality of life for children with motor disabilities, bridging robotics, human-computer interaction, and developmental psychology. Her research offers a promising pathway toward more inclusive learning tools, where technology compensates for physical limitations to foster cognitive and sensory development.